29 Game Changer Stretches For Front Splits

Are you looking to get your front splits? Here are 29 stretches for your hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors so you can nail the front splits.

When you are training for your front splits there are a few areas you need to work on. The hip flexors need to be supple so that the leg can retract behind you. This also means that the quads need to be pliable so they do not pull on the hip flexors.

When stretching for your front splits we additionally need to focus on the glutes and the hamstrings. One important part of your hamstring flexibility is increasing the flexibility of the nerves. This is one part that gets missed because trainers can be unaware of how to stretch the nerves.

The nerves like to slide and glide for their elongation. Unlike muscles that like static and active flexibility.

You will need a few tools to complete this routine. A foam roller or trigger point release ball, and a strap or belt.

Hamstrings Stretches For Your Front Splits

#1 SUPINE HAMSTRING STRETCH

How To:

• Laying on your back bend one knee and bring the foot to the glute.
• Extended the leg and grab the calf or foot.
• If you can’t reach you can use a strap.
• Gently draw the foot towards the face.

# 2 FORWARD FOLD

How To:

1. Exhale fold forward bend your spine 
2. Relax the back of your neck relax through your lower back 
3. Breathe into the back of your body, 
4. Be active through your thighs bring your knee caps up the legs 
5. Gently firm your abdominals to draw yourself down deeper.
6. Inhale flat back half lift, straight spine extend over the hips, shoulders back, exhale bend the Knees place your hands flat on floor and step or jump back into high plank. 

#3 UTTANASASNA — FORWARD STANDING BEND

How To:

1. Exhale fold forward bend your spine 
2. Relax the back of your neck relax through your lower back 
3. Breathe into the back of your body, 
4. Be active through your thighs bring your knee caps up the legs 
5. Gently firm your abdominals to draw yourself down deeper.
6. Inhale flat back half lift, straight spine extend over the hips, shoulders back, exhale bend the Knees place your hands flat on floor and step or jump back into high plank. 

#4 PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA WIDE-ANGLE FORWARD STANDING BEND

How To:

1. Inhale jump the hands and feet out nice and wide
2. Inhale take your hands to your hips
3. Toes turn in
4. Lift your spine and heart out of the pelvis
5. Exhale
6. Bend forward with a flat back
7. Palms flat to the floor
8. Hands shoulder-width apart
9. Fingertips in line with the toes
10. Inhale flat back straight spine
11. Arms straight looking ahead shoulders back 
12.  Exhale bend your spine and work your crown towards the earth
13. Draw your kneecaps up the thighs 
14. Keep pressing down through the toes and the balls of the feet
15. Press out through the heels stretching 
16. Breathe into your lower back
17. Breathe into the back of your 
18. Inhale half lift 
19. Flatback straighten 
20. Squeeze your big toe with your thumb-index finger
21. Inhale flat back
22. Pull your heart up and away
23. Exhale, bend your elbows wide
24. Work the crown of the head towards the earth
25. Inhale straight spine
26. Hands to hips
27. Inhale push the hips forward and bring the spine up

INTERMEDIATE YOGA STRETCHES FOR THE HAMSTRINGS

#5 PADAHASTAASANA 

1. Inhale flat back straight spine
2. Sweep your hands all the way under the feet so that your toes come to your wrists
3. Inhale flat back straight spine
4. Exhale bend the elbows wide 
5. Bend your spine
6. Work the crown of the head to the earth
7. Draw the knee caps up the thighs and breathe into the lower back
8. Relax the head and the neck
9. Hold for 5 breaths
10. Inhale flat back straight spine
11. Pull your heart up and away
12. Release the hands to hips
13. Exhale push the hips forward straighten the spine

#6 PYRAMID POSE

How To:

1. From a downward dog.
2. Turn the right foot out slightly, step the left foot forward so that your stance is wide yet comfortable. Around three feet apart. 
3. Ensure your hips are square and facing forward.
4. Straighten the left knee.
5. Sit here for a few breaths. 
6. Inhale lift the chest and look forward.
7. Exhale bend down towards the chin.
8. Bring the arms behind the back and hold onto the forearms.
9. Connect with your breath and balance. 
10. Inhale lift the chest and look forward.
11. Exhale bend forward.
12. Inhale breathe into the backs of the legs. 
13. Bring your palm back flat onto the mat
14. Bring the left leg back to your downward dog. 

ADVANCED YOGA STRETCHES FOR THE HAMSTRINGS

#7 URDHVA PRASARITA EKA PADASANA STANDING FORWARD SPLITS

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart
2. Take your hands to your hips
3. Exhale bend forward from your hips
4. Place both hands on the floor in front of you 
5. Shift the weight slightly into the left leg
6. Raise your left leg into the sky
7. Allow your torso to food forward and down bending the spine 
8. Keep your toes raised and pointed 
9. Internally rotate your thigh to keep the pelvis parallel to the floor
10. Focus on directing equal energy into both legs
11. Keep the thigh off the standing leg
12. Chin to shin
13. Stay in the pose for 5-10 breaths or as long as comfortable 
14. Release the top leg down to the floor
15. On the inhale pull your heart up to flat back
16. Exhale food forward 
17. repeat on the other side

#8 KROUNCHASANA HERON POSE

How To:

1. Begin seated with your legs in front of you.
2. Bend your right knee into Hero pose (Virasana).
3. The right shin is resting on the floor and the heel of the right foot is beside the right hip.
4. Move the calf out towards the outer side of the leg with your hands.
5. Ensure that the toes of your right foot are pointing straight back and that your thighs are parallel to one another (i.e. the right knee isn’t bowing out to the side).
6. Without bending your back raise the front leg until you can reach it with a flat back.
7. If this is too advanced use a yoga strap.

#9 HALASANA PLOW POSE

How To:

1. Lie on your back.
2. Palms by your side facing down.
3. Pull your shoulders away from the ears.
4. Drawing the shoulder blades down the back.
5. Keep legs straight and feet together.
6. Using the abdominal muscles lift the legs over the head.
7. Keep the legs straight with the feet together.
8. Using the abdominal muscles. 
9. Lift the legs over the head in a straight line until the toes touch the floor behind the head.
10. Keep your neck straight and gaze upward.
11. Interlace the fingers behind your back and straighten the arms.
12. Draw your shoulders and arms away from the ears.
13. Once your in this position do not turn your neck.
14. Keep the neck straight and gaze towards the navel or close your eyes.

#10 DEAFMANS POSE

How To:

• From plow pose.
• Simply bend the knees.
• And let them drop beside your ears.
• If you can give your body a big hug around the hamstrings.

Flossing Stretches For Your Front Splits

#11 MIDDLE FLOSSING STRETCH FOR THE HAMSTRING

How To:

• Laying on your back with your knees bent.
• Extend one leg towards the sky.
• The second leg extends on the mat.
• Bring your hands around the hamstring of the leg extended towards the sky.
• Draw the thigh closer to the chest.
• Extend the leg.
• Hold for 6 seconds.
• Bend the knee and draw the foot to the glute.
• Repeat until you feel a little less tension.

# 12 OUTER HAMSTRING FLOSSING STRETCH

How To:

• Laying on your back with your knees bent.
• Extend one leg towards the sky.
• The second leg extends on the mat.
• Take the leg across the hips 10 — 15 degrees.
• Bring your hands around the hamstring of the leg extended towards the sky.
• Draw the thigh closer to the chest.
• Extend the leg.
• Hold for 6 seconds.
• Bend the knee and draw the foot to the glute.
• Repeat until you feel a little less tension.

#13 INNER HAMSTRING FLOSSING STRETCH

How To:

• Laying on your back with your knees bent.
• Extend one leg towards the sky.
• The second leg extends on the mat.
• Take the leg away from the body 10 — 15 degrees.
• Bring your hands around the hamstring of the leg extended towards the sky.
• Draw the thigh closer to the chest.
• Extend the leg.
• Hold for 6 seconds.
• Bend the knee and draw the foot to the glute.
• Repeat until you feel a little less tension.

#14 CROSS FLOSS HAMSTRING STRETCH

How To:

• From a standing position elevate the leg onto a block.
• Turn your hips towards the elevated leg.
• Then return to the starting position.
• Repeat until you feel the ease of tension.

#15 NERVE FLOSSING THE LATERAL LEG WITH A STRAP

How To:

• Lie on your back on the floor.
• Loop your stretching strap (you can use a large towel also) under your foot, pull your leg diagonal across your body towards your shoulder. Keep your other leg long.
• Flex and point your ankle against your strap like you pumping a gas pedal.

#16 NERVE FLOSSING THE MEDIAL LEG WITH A STRAP

How To:

• Lie on your back on the floor.
• Loop your stretching strap (you can use a large towel also) under your foot.
• Flex and point your ankle against your strap like you pumping a gas pedal.

#17 NERVE FLOSSING THE INNER LEG WITH A STRAP

How To:

• Lie on your back on the floor.
• Loop your stretching strap (you can use a large towel also) under your foot.
• Draw the foot and leg away from the body around 15 degrees.
• Flex and point your ankle against your strap like you pumping a gas pedal.

Rectus Femoris Stretches For Front Splits

#18 MYOFASCIAL RELEASE ON RECTUS FEMORIS

How To:

• Laying on your stomach place your peanut or roller in the middle of your quadricep just below the hip.
• Slowly begin to roll down and find added spots of tension. When you do keep the foam roller in place.
• Apply adequate pressure if it’s painful back off a little.
• Let the muscle stay in this position for at least two minutes.
• Continue to roll until you find another spot to release.

This needs to be repeated until you meet the knee.

#19 MYOFASCIAL RELEASE ON THE ITB, VASTI & MUSCLES & CONNECTIVE TISSUE.

How To:

• Laying on your stomach place your peanut or roller in the outer side of your quadriceps.
• You may find that you will have to change your lower body into a side plank position.
• Slowly begin to roll down and find added spots of tension. When you do keep the foam roller in place.
• Apply adequate pressure if it’s painful back off a little.
• Let the muscle stay in this position for at least two minutes.
• Continue to roll until you find another spot to release

#20 MYOFASCIAL RELEASE ON THE ADDUCTORS

How To:

• Laying on your stomach place your peanut or roller on the inner side of your thigh.
• You may find that you will have to change your leg into a right angle position.
• Slowly begin to roll down and find added spots of tension. When you do keep the foam roller in place.
• Apply adequate pressure if it’s painful back off a little.
• Let the muscle stay in this position for at least two minutes.
• Continue to roll until you find another spot to release

Rectus Femoris Stretches For Front Splits

#21 PNF VASTI MUSCLES STRETCH

In a standing position bend the knee and bring the heel to buttocks with your hands. You may need a chair to help you keep your balance. I like to perform this stretch with my leg against the wall in a lunge position.

Once you have entered your stretch resist the top of the foot into the hand or wall for three seconds. Then release and passively stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat this process for at least five times on each leg.

#22 PNF RECTUS FEMORIS STRETCH

Start in a runner’s lunge. When you lean into runners lunge you want to keep your pelvis tucked under. Lean as deeply as your body allows without compromising your posture. Reach around and grab your back leg. This will allow you to draw the heel closer to the glutes.

#23 PNF RECTUS FEMORIS STRETCH II

Laying on a table or bed bring your leg and arm to hang off the side of the platform. Bring the heel to buttocks with a hip extension. Push into your hand and then draw the foot in closer for a passive stretch. Repeat five times on each leg.

#24 ACTIVE ADDUCTORS STRETCH

Sitting on the floor with your legs in a straddle position slowly bring your body forward while ensuring that the femur rotates externally towards the back of your body.

#25 PASSIVE ADDUCTORS AND HIPS STRETCH

Coming onto all fours slowly allow your knees and lower leg to extend in a horizontal motion away from the body while keeping the ankles in line with the knees and the foot flexed.

This is known as frog pose. From this position, you are going to gently rock up and down. After completing 3 rounds of 5 move your hips in a cat-cow position. That is rounding the hips away from the body and then depressing the hips forward.

#26 ASSISTED ADDUCTORS PNF STRETCH

How To:

• Laying on your back with your body flat bring one leg up in line with the hips.
• Place your strap on the ball of the foot. Hold the strap with both hands.
• Staying in line with the hip bring your leg out and away from the body.
• If you make it all the way to the floor then work on bringing the strap up higher towards your head.
• Resist into the strap for three seconds and passively stretch for ten. Each time trying to gain a little more range of motion.
• Repeat on both legs.

#27 ASSISTED PNF ITB STRETCH

How To:

• From the adductor stretch position bring your leg across the body keeping it in line with the hip.
• To make it deeper you can bring the leg up a little higher.
• Resist into the strap for three seconds and passively stretch for ten.
• Each time trying to gain a little more range of motion.
• Repeat on both legs.

#28 TIBIALIS ANTERIOR MYOFASCIAL RELEASE

How To:

• Laying on your belly place the massage ball below the knee on your tibialis anterior aka where you get shin splints.
• Slowly begin to roll down to find spots of tension.
• When you do keep the massage ball in place.
• Apply adequate pressure if it’s painful back off a little.
• Let the muscle stay in this position for at least two minutes.
• Continue to roll until you find another spot to release.

#29 TIBIALIS ANTERIOR PNF STRETCH

How To:

• Sitting on your shins place your hands either side of the body.
• Use your abdominals and upper body to lift your knees off the floor.
• Push the tops of your feet into the floor for three seconds and then passively stretch.
• Repeat five times on both legs.

I hope you enjoyed my stretches for the front splits. If you have any suggestions post them in the comments below.

Stay limber,

Vanessa Barthelmes.

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29 Stretches For Front Splits

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